Printing apparatus



Feb. 1, 1949.

W. C. HUEBNER PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24. 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1ENTOR. 16657267) Feb. 1, 1-949. w. c. HUEBNER PRINTING APPARATUS 7Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 24. 1944 Feb. 1, 1949. w. c. HUEBNER PRINTINGAPPARATUS '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 24. 1944 I M INVENTOR.

dfiC'wZ/Wy 7 -iw w 5 OM 3w 5 2 z 1949- w. c. HUEBNER PRINTING APPARATUSv '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 24. 1944 INVENTOR.

Feb. 1, 1949. w. c. HUEBNER PRINTING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed()Ct. 24. 1944 I v il' fi INVENTOR. BY fi 5 5 1 w. c. HUEBNER 2,460,504

'PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24. 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Feb. 1, 1949.w. c. HUEBNER 2,460,504

PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Oct; 24. 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 (I iforrreys'Patented Feb.- 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING APPARATUSWilliam ,0. Huebner, New York, N. Y.

Application October 24, 1944, Serial No. 560,136

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in printing presses or apparatusemploying printing cylinders carrying printing surfaces or images fromwhich ink impressions or prints are made on print-receiving elements ormaterials, and more particularly to improvements in printing presses orapparatus of the nature disclosed in U. S. Patents Nos. 1,820,194 and2,224,391, granted to me respectively August 25, 1931, and December '10,1940, in which the ink is transferred from the printing surface or imageto the print-receiving element, as by electrostatic or electromagneticforce or action.

In the practical application of printing apparatus of this nature,development work has demonstrated that it is highly desirable andgreatly facilitates the operation of the apparatus and makes it possibleto increase its speed of produc directly on the peripheral surface ofthe cylinder tube itself by the well known photographic process, orseparate curved plates on which the printing images or surfaces areprovided by photographic or other processes may be made and mounteduponthe periphery of the cylinder tube. In either case the peripheralprinting surfaces or images of difierent cylinders must register onewith the other and the surface speeds of different printing cylinders.must be in unison, particularly in multicolor work, to obtain the bestprinted results.

It is important to practical and efiicient operation of such apparatusthat the cylinders should be mounted in such a manner as to enable quickand easy removal and replacement of the same cylinder or its replacementby another cylinder in the same predetermined or registered position. Inthis way a set of similar printing cylinders carrying-the necessarydifferent images for the difierent color prints of a multicolor job. canbe prepared and made ready for work outside of the press andplaced inoperative position or interchanged one with another, as required, formaking different colored prints.

One object of my invention therefore is, to providepractical anddesirable means whereby the from and replaced in the same predeterminedposition or interchanged with another printing cylinder in theapparatus.

It is to be understood that any removable cylinder inserted in the pressis arranged to function in coordination with position-determining orlocating means on the cylinder drive device or mechanism, whereby whenthe cylinder is operatively connected with a rotatable end supportlocated at the operators side of the press, the cylinder will be locatedin the intended, predetermined position in proper alinement andregistration for printing. Similar functions and operative procedureapply either in single or multicolor work in a multicolor press havingtwo or more printing units, thus making it possible to provide a set ofcylinders for producing a given multicolor design to be printed, whichcylinders are quickly interchangeable one for another,

thereby reducing the idle or waiting time of the press to a minimum,since no make-ready is needed because all of the printing cylinderscomprising a set of color printing images will register one with theother simply by inserting them in the press, so thatwhen the press isstarted and a sheet or web fed through the press, the printed imageswill fall over each other in exact register on the print-receivingelement or material.

. Another object of my invention is to provide simple and practicalmeans enabling the accomplishment of these results.

Other objects of the invention are to provide means constructed andarranged to enable the removable cylinder to be removed and replaced ina direction lengthwise of itself from the oper ators side of the pressor apparatus; to arrangetion opposite the end of the cylinder so as toprovide an open space or clearance through which the cylinder isremovable endwise or in the direc- 1 tion of its length from the press.

It is also desirable to provide means which function, when inserting acylinder into or removing' it from its operative position in the press,to support and guide the inner end of the cylinder in such a way as toprevent contact of the printfinking unit is being cleaned and reset.

ingsuri'ace or image with nearby parts of the press or apparatus,and'thereby preclude possible damage to the printing surface or image;and so as also to facilitate the introduction and removal of thecylinder into and from the press and reduce straining or lifting efforton the part of the operator in removing and replacing the cylinder.

Another object of my invention is to provide convenient means for thispurpose, preferably in the form of a sliding rest, for engaging andsupporting the inner end of the cylinder while it is-being inserted orremoved.

Still another object of the invention is to arrange or mount the inkingmeans or system of the press, whether comprised of orthodox rollers andvibrators or special rollers or instrumentalities of whatever assemblyorrelation, so that the inking means can be raised as a unit clear thepress, and provides a cleaning or wash-up device for the inking unit.This cleaning device, which forms the subject matter'of anotherapplication for U. S. patent, may. be provided with a complete rollerwash-up system so that all ink can be removed from the inking rollers orunit be inserted into the press while the first in a single ormulticolor press, the operating or productive time of the press isincreased definitely because the customary wash-up and make-ready timeis entirely eliminated.

Further'objects and advantages of the invenf tion will'appear from thefollowing specification of the? preferred embodiments of the inventionshown-in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features of theinvention are set forth in 'theappended claims.

'of a single unit press or apparatus embodying the invention, showingthe printing cylinder and Thus,

its cooperating impression or supporting cylinder for the printreceivingmaterial or element in normal, operative position, and the inking unitin it's'lowered oroperative relation to the printing cylinder Fig. 2isia fragmentary elevation of the operraised position ready for removalfrom the press onto the wash-up carriage or device in which the inkingunit is cleaned and its elements preset ready for use in the press.

Fig. 6 is a transverse, sectional elevation of the printing cylinder andits end supports, the retractable support being withdrawn to free thecylinder for removal.

Fig. 7 is a broken, sectional elevation of the printing cylinder removedfrom the press.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the driving end of the cylinder.

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view showing the sliding rest for supportingand guiding the printing cylinder when inserting it into and removing itfrom the press.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse section thereof on line lil--it,Fig.9.

Fig. 11 is a schematic side elevation of a modified embodiment of theinvention showing how two or more color units can be employed, andalternative meansfor shifting the mounting cylinder supports and theinking units.

Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the apparatus as shown inFig. 11,showing the printing and cooperating cylinder and inking unit inposition ready for printing.

Fig. 13 is a sectional plan view on line iii-43,

Fig. 12, showing the retracting and elevating means for the cylinder endsupport, and indicating by broken lines the position of the printingcylinder relative to the end support when retracted.

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12, partially broken away, but showingthe inking unit in its elevated position and partially removed from thepress, and also showing the printing cylinder removed, its positionbeing indicated .by broken lines. This figure also shows cylinder endsupports at the operator's side of the press, one released from andraised out of the way of the printing cylinder to permit the lattersremoval, and the end support for the lower cylinder being lowered topermit the removal of the lower cylinder.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs.1-10, I indicates the base of a press frame and 2 side standards risingfrom the base at opposite sides of the press. 3 represents the printingcylinder and 4 a cooperating impression cylinder, or cylinder forsupporting the print-receiving element or material while receiving theprint from the printing cylinder, these cylinders, as shown, beingarranged parallel, one above the other, with the peripheral printingsurface or image of the printing cylinder slightly aboveor out ofcontact with the print-receiving ators sideofthe press showing by solidlines the parts in-normal position, and by brokenlines indicating theupper portionof the inking unit in the position the inking unit occupieswhen I it is raised and ready for removal from the press.

Fig. 3 is. a fragmentary end elevation of the mitted through atransverse shaft I geared to the parts shown in Fig. 2, showing bysolidlines the "normal position of 'the parts, and by broken lines the raisedposition of the inking unit.

motor and connected with the drive mechanism or gearing 5.

The printing cylinder, as shown (see Figs. 6-8), preferably comprises alight-weight, thin, cylindrical shell or tube 8 provided at one end withan annular end piece 9 to which the tube 8 is flxed and which, with thecylinder tube, is adapted to be sleeved over a stationary, hollow shaftIn which is suitably supported stationarily in the press at the drivingside thereof and, in this apparatus, functions to support parts of theelectric printing the cylinder is arranged to rotate about the thestationary shaft I on a suitable bearing Hm, andis suitably connectedwith the drive gearing of the press so as to be rotated thereby, and thecylinder tube 8 is interengaged or interlocked with the end support llso as to be rotated thereby, as for instance, by a lug I3 on theperiphery of the support ll, adapted to fit closely in a notch l4, Figs.7 and 8, in the adjacent end of the cylinder tube. The opposite endsupport 12 is retractable from its related end of the cylinder tube, inwhich it fits so as to provide proper support for this end of the tube,as presently explained, thus leaving the tube, 8 free to be disengagedfrom the driving end support ii and removed from the press, but due tothe engagement of the lug I 3 of the driving support in the end notch ofthe tube, the cylinder tube, when placed in the press in supportingengagement with the driving sup-' port, will always occupy the samepredetermined positional relation to the driving support ii, so that theprinting surface or image, however formed or provided on the peripheryof the cylinder tube, will always be registered in the same positionrelatively to the cylinder driving mechanism or moving parts of thepress or apparatus when the tube is placed in position therein.

As shown (see Figs. 1 and 6), the retractable end support i2 is mountedby means of a suitable bearing, preferably a double end thrust rollerbearing IS, on a supporting journal or member i6 which is movableendwise in a bearing block ill in which it may be held from turning, asby a key iix. The bearing block il is mounted for vertical movement inan opening is, see Fig. 2, in the adjacent frame s de standard 2, whichopening has opposite, vertical guide edges with which the front and rearfaces of the bearing block are slidably engaged so as to enable thebearing block to he. slid up and down from and to its normalcylinder-supporting position. As shown in Fig. 6, the journal it has ascrew threaded, outer end portion 39 on which turns a threaded nut 20that is rotatably mounted, as by means of an annular retaining cap 2|,suitably secured on the outer end of the bearing block. The outwardlyprojecting end of this nut may-be toothed or otherwise fashioned for theremovable engagement of a crank or device 22 (shown by broken lines inFig. 6) for turning the nut. Thus, the nut may be elevated for thispurpose as presently explained.

In this embodiment of the invention, the inking instrumentalities forthe printing cylinder are in their normal or operative position,disposed above the printing cylinder, and motor driven elevating meansare provided for raising the inking unit, comprising th inkinginstrumentalities, from their normal position to anelevated, inoperativeposition. and these elevating means for the inking unit are utilized forshifting the bear- 4 ing block I! to permit removal of the printingcylinder, by releasably coupling the bearing block to the inking unit soas to move therewith.

As shown, the inking unit comprises a shiftable frame or housing 25 inwhich instrumentalities 28, 2l for applying the ink to the printingcylinder,

be turned and move the journal i6 for engaging its rotatable and supporti 2 in or retracting it from the adjacent end of the cylinder tube 8.

After the end support i2 has been retracted from the cylinder tube, thebearing block ii carrying it is adapted to be raised in its guideopening it in the side frame until the bearing block and end support arepositioned above the top of the cylinder tube, thereby permitting thecylinder tube to be disengaged from the other end support ii andwithdrawn endwise through the guideway or opening i 8 for the bearingblock, this opening being large enough to permit ready withdrawal of thecylinder tube through the same from the press, and its insertion throughthe opening into the press. The bearing block may are mounted. This unitframe 25 is arranged for vertical movement between pairs of upright,hollow guide posts 28 rising from the opposite side standards of thepress frame. My invention is not concerned with the type, character orarrangement of the ink-applying instrumentalities of this unit, and theymay be of any orthodox or suitable character, but the carrying frame 25therefor is arranged to be guided, in its up and down movements from andtoward the position of the unit for inking the printing cylinder,between the frame guide posts 28, the unit being movable from its inkingposition, shown in Fig. 2, to the elevated position shown in Fig. 5. Theinking unit frame shown comprises opposite side members 29 rigidly tiedtogether by cross tie bars 30 and a tie rod 3!, see Figs. 4 and 5.

The motor-driven elevating mechanism shown for raising and lowering theinking unit comprises horizontal supporting rails 32 extending acrossthe press in front and in rear of the inking unit and suitably guidedfor vertical movement in posts 28, and rollers 33 journalled on the unitframe 25 and bearing upon said rails 32, so as to support the inkingunit from the rails and permit the unit to roll along these rails forremoval from the machine when the unit is in the elevated position shownin Fig. 5. Each rail 32 rests at its opposite ends on nuts 38 havingscrew threaded engagement with a pair of vertical screws 35 which aresuitably journalled in the guide posts 28 at the opposite ends of therails. Nuts 3d may be held from turning in vertical holes in the rails32, in which the nuts may have a limited vertical play, to allow alimited lift of the rails and inking unit independently of thescrewoperated nuts, when necessary to lift the inking rollers out ofcontact with the printing cylinder during printing operation of thepress. By appropriate rotation of screws 35, the cross rails 32 areraised and lowered, carrying with them the inking unit. The motor drivenmechanism for rotating the elevating screws 35 may be of any suitableconstruction, that shown comprising a motor 36 mounted on the pressframeand operatively connected by a transverse shaft 31, and suitable gears38 to the two screws 35 'for The pair of elevating screws 35 for thesecond rail may be rotated in unison and in like direction with thescrews 35 for the first rail, as by a longitudinal shaft 39 at one sideof the press, which is operatively connected, as by spiral gears it withthe two screws 35 at the same end of the two rails, and by a secondtransverse shaft M which is geared, as by spiral gears 42, to the twoscrews for the second cross rail.

By causing forward or reverse operation of the motor 86 by means of asuitable control switch mal position shown in Fig. 2 to the elevatedposition shown in Fig. 5, or to return the unit to its normal position.

This elevating means is utilized for raising the bearing block I! toenable removal of the printing cylinder from the press, as beforeexplained, by coupling the bearing block I! to the frame 25 of theinking unit when thelatter is in its normal position. Forthus couplingthe bearing block to the frame of the inking unit, latches 43, see Fig.2, are shown, pivoted on the face of the bearing block I! and adapted tobe engaged with pins or keepers 44 on the ends of the inking unit frame25. When it is desired to elevate the bearing block for removing theprinting cylinder, the latches '63 are engaged with their keepers M, andthe elevating mechanism for the inking unit operated, thereby raisingthe bearing block. After the return of the cylinder to the press or itsreplacement by another cylinder, the bearing block can be again loweredto its normal position and the rotatable end support l2 engaged with thecylinder, to support it in operative position, by operation of the crank22.

When it is desired to remove the inking unit from thepress for cleaningit or replacing it with an inking unit with ink of a different color,the latches 43 are disengaged from the inking unit and the latter israised by its elevating mechanism, as explained, to the position shownin Fig. 5. In this position of the inking unit, the elevating rails 32will be located at the tops ofthe guide posts 28 and will permit theinking unit to be rolled transversely out of the press onto rails 45(see Figs. 3 and 4) of .a portable cleaning carriage or device adaptedto support the inking unit out of the press while cleaning it. Thiscleaning or wash-up device forms the subject matter of a separateapplication, and it is not necessary to disclose it herein further thanto indicate the position of the rails 45 thereof which support theinking unit. This device is adapted 'alinement with the rails 32 of thepress while removing an inking unit from or returning it to the press.The means shown for this purpose may comprise pivoted bolts or members45 with holding nuts engageable in slots 4? in lugs 4d projecting fromthe two guide posts 28 at the operator's side of the press, as bestshown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The press or apparatus is preferably equipped with means for supportingand guiding the far end of the printing cylinder when removing it fromand replacing it in the press in order to prevent damaging the printingsurface or image by contact with nearby parts of the press, and also torelieve the strain on, and ease the effort of, the operator in removingand replacing the cylinder. This means, as illustrated, comprises a pairof parallel, tubular slotted supporting bars 50, see Figs. 1, 9 and 10,which extend transversely in the press below the printing cylinder 8 andare attached at their ends to cross supporting bars which may besuitably fixed to the side standards of the press frame. Slidablelengthwise on these bars is a saddle or carrier 52 which normally islocated at the driving side of the press beyond the inner end of theprinting cylinder. Telescoping in the supporting bars '50 are operatingrods 53 having at their inner ends laterally projecting fingers 54whichv extend through longitudinal slots 55 in tubular bars 50 andthrough transverse slots 56 in the saddle 52 so that the saddle can beslid outwardly and inwardly along bars 50 by means of the operating rods53, which preferably are connected by a cross head or handle 533:.attheir outer ends. and at their inner portion bear .rotatably in centralholes inbearing blocks 51' slidable in the tubular bars 50. The rods maybe attached to said bearing blocks by set screws 58 which project intoperipheral grooves in the operating rods that permit the rods 52 to turna quarter revolution in their bearings. printing cylinder tube isprovided in its periphery at its under side with transverse slots (Figs.7 and 10) into which the carrier fingers 54 are adapted to be engagedfor holding the cylinder 1 end in place on the saddle, by pulling thesaddle outwardly toward the inner end of the cylinder by the rods 53 andturning the rods a quarter turn in the tubular bars .50 to throw thefingers 54 from their positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 10, intotheir full line position, Fig. l0, in which the fingers will engageinthe cylinder slots 60 and hold the cylinder to the saddle. Thelongitudinal slots 55 of the tubular bars 50 have oifset'outer and innerportions, see Fig. 9, connected by transverse portions 6| opposite theinner end of the printing cylinder which allow the turning of thefingers 54 for engaging them with and disengaging them from thecylinder. By pulling the saddle toward and engaging it with the adjacentor inner end of the printing cylinder tube, this end will be supportedon the saddle 52, and when the cylinder end support I2 is retracted torelease the opposite or outer end of the cylinder, the operator cansupport the outer end of the cylinder by hand, while pulling thecylinder out of the press; and at the same time by pulling the saddleoutwardly with the cylinder by means of its operating rods 53, the innerend of the cylinder will vbe supported and guided during the removal ofthe cylinder. In replacing the cylinder, its inner end is engaged withthe saddle and the latter is moved inwardly in pushing the cylinder intothe press, thereby supporting and guiding its inner end during theinsertion of the cylinder.

Referring now to the alternative construction illustratedin Figs. 11-14,these figures show schematically a two-unit multicolor printing press orapparatus in which the cooperating cylinders of each unit and the inkingmeans thereof are removable from the press for the stated purposes.Except as hereinafter described, this construction may be substantiallyasalready described in connection with the Figs. 1' to 10 embodiment.

In each color unit. 311 and to represent the printing and cooperating orimpression cylinders, each of which has a removable cylinder tube 8aremovably mounted in the press to rotate about stationary centralelectrical insulating shafts The inner or driving end of the which maybe suitably driven from a motor driven shaitla. The retractableend-support G for each cylinder is rotatable about a Journal I60, whichmay be mounted, as before explained, for axial movement out ofsupporting engagement with its cylinder tube, in a bearing block l'ia.20a indicates the rotatable nut for shifting the Journal la axially inthe bearing block, and 22a the crank for turning the nut. The twobearing blocks lid for the upper and lower cylineders 3a and 4a of eachcolor unit are arranged for vertical movement respectively upwardly anddownwardly from their normal positions Opposite the ends of thecylinder, to enable removal of the cylinders, in an open verticalguideway 18a in a side standard 2aof the main frame, there being twosuch standards, one for each color unit, at the operator's side of thepress. A pinion is shown rotatably mounted in each bearing block Ila, bya shaft H iournalledin the block, and meshing with a vertical toothedrack 12 in the guideway Ilia for raising and lowering the bearing blockin its guideway. The pinion may be turned for this purpose by aremovable crank applied to the outer end of the pinion shaft, asindicated by broken lines at I3 in Fig. 14. In Fig. 11, the bearingblocks i'ia for the cylinders of the right hand color unit are shown intheir normal supporting position opposite the ends of the cylinders, inwhich position the blocks may be releasably secured, as by a lockingbolt 14, while the bearing block Ha for the upper cylinder 3a of theother color unit is shown raised above the cylinder, and the hearingblock for the lower cylinder to is shown as shifted below its cylinder,thereby leaving the cylinders unobstructed for endwise removal throughthe guideway i811 for the bearing blocks. Fig. 14 also shows the raisedand lowered positions for these bearing blocks and this figure indicatesby broken lines that the upper cylinder tube do has been removed fromthe press.

a represents the vertically movable carrying frame or housing of theinking unit 26a for each color unit. Each inking unit, as in the firstembodiment described, is supported by rollers 330: on horizontal crossrails 32a of an elevating mechanism comprising vertical screws 35a,turning in nuts supporting the cross rails, and adapted to be rotated inunison by suitable shaft and gear mechanism did, such as beforedescribed,

driven by a motor; 36a. The inking unit of the right-hand color unit,shown in Fig. 11, is in normal operative position, and the inking unitof the other color unit is shown raised in this figure to enable liftingof the bearing block Ha for the removal of the cylinders of this unit.When the inking unit is raised by this elevating mechanism to theposition shown in Fig. 14, it can be rolled out of the press through theguideway opening of its related standard 2a onto the alined rails 35a ofa portable wash-up device. Fig. 14 shows the inking unit for theleft-hand color unit of the press partially so removed. I

In this multicolor press is shown a conveyor belt 86 passing aroundsupporting and guide rollsv axially of said cylinder for releasing saidsecond support from the cylinder, said bearing block being shiitable insaid guideway with said second support away from its supporting positionopposite the end of the cylinder when the support is released from thecylinder, said guideway being or greater dimensions than the diameter ofthe cylinder, and said cylinder being freed for disconnection from saiddriving support and removable endwise of itself from the press throughsaid guideway when the bearing block is shifted out of its cylindersupporting position.

2. In a printing press having a rotary cylinder, a main frame, andcylinder supports on said frame at opposite ends of the cylinder one ofwhich drives the cylinder, the improved construction comprising meansdetachably connecting said cylinder at one end with said drivingsupport, a bearing block shiftable in a guideway in said frame froma-supporting position axially opposite the other end of said cylinderand rotatably mounting said second cylinder support, said second supportbeing movable on said bearing block out of supporting engagement withsaid cylinder, and means for moving said bearing block with said secondsupport in said guideway away from its-supporting position opposite theend of the cylinder when said second support is disconnected from thecylinder, said guideway when said bearing block is thus moved away fromits supporting position providing an unobstructed opening opposite theend of the cylinder through which the cylinder is removable endwisethereof from the press.

3. In a printing press having a rotary printing cylinder with aperipheral printing surface, a main frame, cylinder supports on saidframe at opposite ends of the cylinder one of which drives the cylinder,and an inking unit for said cylinder, the improved constructioncomprising means detachably connecting said cylinder at one end withsaid driving support in a predetermined position relative thereto, abearing block vertically shiftable in a guideway in said frame from asupporting position opposite the other end of said cylinder androtatably mounting said second cylinder support, said second cylindersupport being movable on said bearing block out of supporting engagementwith said cylinder, means for elevating said inking unit from itsoperative position relative .to the cylinder,- means for attaching saidbearin lock to said inking or drums 8i for carrying the sheets orelements 1. In a printing press having a rotary cylin der, a main frame,and cylinder supports on said frame at opposite ends of the cylinder oneof which drives the cylinder, the improved conunit for elevationtherewith, said guideway when said bearing block is thus shifted awayfrom its supporting position providing an opening opposite the end ofthe cylinder through which the cylinder is removable endwise thereoffrom the press.

4. In a printing press having a main frame, a

printing cylinder therein and supports rotatably rests when removing itfrom and replacing it in the press, operating rods movable lengthwiseand rotatable in said tubular rails and having at their inner endsfingers extending through slots in said tubular rails and connected withsaid saddle for moving the saddle along said rails, said fingers beingreleasably. engageable with the inner endof the cylinder when resting onsaid saddle for retaining the inner end of the cylinder in place on thesaddle during the removal of the cylinder from and its replacement inthe press.

5. In a printing press, the improved construction according to claim 4,in which said fingers are engaged with and disengaged from peripheralslots in the cylinder by turning said operating rods, for retaining thecylinder in connection with and releasing it from said saddle.

6. In a printing press having a frame, and a rotary cylinder, bearingsupports for the cylinder on said frame and operatively and detachablyassociated with said cylinder for rotation therewith adjacent theopposite ends thereof, and means mounting one of said supports formovement axially of said cylinder for detachment therefrom, said meansbeing movable on said frame with the detached support transversely tothe axis of said cylinder away from its cylinder supporting positionopposite the end of the cylinder thereby leaving a space opposite theend of the cylinder through which said cylinder may be axially insertedinto or removed from position in said frame.

7. In a printing press having a frame, and a rotary cylinder, bearingsupports operatively and detachably associated with said cylinder forrotation therewith adjacent the opposite ends thereof, said frame beingprovided with a guide opening extending transversely to the axis of saidcylinder, and means rotatably mounting one of said supports and movablein said guide opening away from its cylinder supporting position,whereby said one support is movable to leave said guide openingunobstructed opposite the end of the cylinder and enable the cylinder tobe inserted into or removed from operative position in said framethrough said opening.

8. In a printing press having a rotary printing cylinder with aperipheral printing surface, a main frame, cylinder supports on saidframe at the opposite ends of the cylinder and one of which supportsdrives the cylinder, and an inking unit for said cylinder, the improvedconstruction comprising means detachably connecting said cylinder at oneend with said driving support, a bearing block shiftable in a guidewayin said frame from a supporting position opposite the other end of saidcylinder and rotatably mounting said second cylinder support, saidsecond cylinder support being shif-table on said bearing block out ofsupporting engagement with said cylinder, means for moving said inkingunit from its operative position relative to the cylinder, means foroperatively connecting said bearing block with said inking unit formovement therewith, said guideway when said bearing block is thusshifted away from its supporting position providing an opening oppositethe end of the cylinder through which the cylinder is removable endwisethereof from the press.

9, In a printing press having a frame, and a rotary printing cylinder,the improved construction comprising a printing cylinder having acylindrical body and rotary supporting'ends there- 1 for releasablyconnected to the oppostie ends of said body, means rotatably mountingsaid ends one of said ends for driving the cylinder, said mounting meansfor said other end movably supporting the end for movement to release itfrom said body and said mounting means being movable on said frame withsaid released end transversely to the axis of said cylinder away fromits body-supporting position, thereby freeing said body for release fromsaid driving end and leaving an unobstructed space axially opposite thecylinder through which said body is removable lengthwise of itself fromand ing'e'rtable into operative position in the press.

. 10. In a printing press having a frame, and a rotary cylinder, theimproved construction comprising a cylinder having a tubular body, androtary supporting heads therefor releasably connected to opposite endsof said body, and means rotatably mounting said heads on said frame,said mounting means for one head movably supporting the head formovement to release it from said body and said mounting means beingmovable on said frame with said released head transversely to the axisof the cylinder awayfrom its body-supporting position, thereby freeingsaid body for release from said other head and leaving an unobstructedspace axiallyopposite the cylinder through which said body is removablelengthwise of itself from and insertable into oper-ative position in thepress.

11. In a printing press having a frame, and a rotary cylinder, theimproved construction comprising a cylinder having a tubular body, androtary supporting heads therefor releasably connected to opposite endsof said body, means rotatably mounting said heads on said frame, drivingmeans associated with one of said heads for driving said cylinder, saidmounting means for said other head movably supporting the head formovement to release it from said body and said mounting means beingmovable on said frame with said released-head transversely to the axisof the cylinder away from its body-supporting position, thereby freeingsaid body for release from said driving head and leaving an unobstructedspace axially opposite the cylinder through which said body is removablelengthwise of itself from and insertable into operative position in thepress. I

12. In a printing press having a frame, and a rotary printing cylinder,the improved construction comprising a printing cylinder having atubuiar body carrying a peripheral printing surface, and rotarysupporting heads therefor releasably connected to opposite ends of saidbody, means rotatably mounting said heads on said frame, driving meansassociated with one of said heads for driving said cylinder, saidmounting means for said other head movably supporting the head formovement to release it from said body and said mounting means beingmovable on said frame with said released head transversely to the axisof said cylinder away from its bodysupporting position, thereby freeingsaid body for release from said driving head and leaving an unobstructedspace axially opposite the cylinder through which said body is removablelengthwise of itself from and insertable into operative position in thepress, and parts on said body and driving head cooperating tolocate thebody always in the same predetermined axial and circumferential relationto said driving head.

13. In a printing press having a main frame, a tubular cylinder,rotatable supports axially alined with and rotatably mounting thecylinder atopposite-ends, said cylinderheing disconnect- .able' fromsaid support and one or said supports axial alinement with thecylinderand thereby leaving an unobstructed opening in the main frameaxially opposite the cylinder through" whlch the cylinder is removablelengthwise of itself iron .the press, and a .device mounted in saidframe to movein the direction or the length of said cylinder andcomprising means shiita-ble into supporting engagement withithelnnerendof said tubular cylinder and beingmovableendwise with the cylinder torsupporting and guiding it when removing the cylinder from and replacing15 it in the pm.

WILLIAM 0. mm.

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